Supporting Families

Victorian families face more complex challenges than ever before. Almost 40,000 people are on the public housing waiting list. More than one-in-five women suffer abuse at the hands of their partners. Children from low socio-economic backgrounds have fewer educational opportunities, making it difficult to escape their current circumstance.

Family services

Child FIRST

Child FIRST provides a central, community-based referral point to a range of Family support services designed to support children and families within Victoria.

Integrated family services

Integrated Family Services (IFS) provides specialist in-home and casework support for vulnerable families. The IFS program aims to provide a range of tailored services to strengthen families and improve the wellbeing of children.

Cradle to Kinder

Cradle to Kinder is an intensive ante- and post-natal support service which provides long-term intensive family and early parenting support for vulnerable young mothers and their children.

Mentoring

Through our educational mentoring programs Peaceful Warriors, we help socially disadvantaged boys navigate the challenging journey from adolescence to manhood.

Family violence

Whenever issues of violence or abuse arise in families, the first step is to ensure that every family member is safe and protected from harm. Once that is achieved, counsellors and support workers can educate and equip families with new skills to help them move forward in a positive way.

We provide a range of protection services addressing both adult family violence and adolescent family violence, with a primary focus on the safety of women and children.

Parenting Teenagers

The Meridian Youth & Family Therapy Team provide short, medium and long term support to young people aged 10 to 23 and their families.

We can help in addressing a range of family related issues such as:

Adolescent violence in the home

Anxiety

Behavioural problems

Bullying

Depression

Eating disorder

Family breakdown

Gaming & Internet misuse

Grief and loss

Parent-adolescent conflict

Self-harm & Suicidal thoughts

Sexual or physical abuse

Sexual identity & gender issues

School refusal

Social Isolation

Breaking the Cycle

Breaking the cycle is an 8 week therapeutic group work program for parents and carers of adolescents (10-23 years) who are using violence in the home. This program is supported by research and developed in consultation with families experiencing adolescent violence.

The program aims to stop violence in the home. It helps parents and carers work with their young person to keep them accountable for their actions. The program focuses on relationships and communication and assists parents, carers and young people communicate that violence is an unacceptable choice.